Interview with author Joseph Max Lewis

INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH MAX LEWIS author of THE DIARIES OF PONTIUS PILATE

1) If you had to describe “The Diaries of Pontius Pilate” in 3 or 4 words, what would they be?

Tom Clancy meets Frank Peretti. Oopps, that’s five.

2) Which main character in The Diaries of Pontius Pilate do you see as being the most closely based on you or someone you know? (Such as having a favorite food, a saying that only that person says, etc.)

Only Professor Pearl Jesky, who’s kind of a composite of a couple “older sister” type female friends I have. The others are figments.

3) As a writer whose writings have most influenced you?

Maybe the late Walter Wager, an old school Thriller writer, because I cut my teeth as a reader with Wager’s paperbacks - Viper Three, Swap and other classics.  I know you’re supposed to say Joseph Conrad or Harper Lee and prove you’re a “serious” writer, but there you go.

4) Did you have to do much research for this book, or did you use previously obtained knowledge from your former professions?

About fifty fifty. I was familiar with military tactics, Israel, the Negev and the Dead Sea. I did a fair amount of research into carbon dating, tramp steamers and the Mobile area.

5) Do you have another book in the works? If so will it be a similar theme as in an archaeological thriller or something totally different?

In April we released a small collection of legal suspense short stories - Just Verdicts - that have been well received.  The sequel to Diaries, which was complete when I started the final edit, is now almost complete. Looks like I have to write another ending. It is a Thriller.  However, this novel revolves around journalism, not archaeology.  Many of the good guys and bad guys we met in Diaries return.

6) If you could write a book with another author, who would you like to work with?

Since Mr. Wager’s passed on, I’d say Dean Koontz.

Check-out my review of The Diaries of Pontius Pilate here.

Book Blurb:

The Diaries of Pontius Pilate opens when a member of an archeological team is murdered along the shores of the Dead Sea. We learn that the murderer and victim are both spies, observing the expedition and grappling with the fact that the team has just discovered some controversial artifacts. In fact, Archaeologist Kevin Elliot and his Deputy, Jill Gates have unearthed twenty copper scrolls etched with the results of Pontius Pilate’s year long criminal investigation into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They manage to open one scroll far enough to take a series of digital photographs of the writings and email them to a Professor of Ancient Latin for translation. Unaware of the scrolls content, Kevin and Jill are unprepared when they’re caught between an ancient conspiracy of global power that’s determined to destroy the scrolls along with everyone connected to them, and a small, fledgling volunteer group, the only force on earth that stands between Kevin, Jill and certain death.
  
Purchase Diaries of Pontius Pilate

Purchase Just Verdicts Literary Stories